Another odd problem:

Customer would like me to setup his new system (he got it a few months ago, so it didn’t get incapacitated with Vista 🙂 )

So I start the Dell (with 1GB RAM, and a nice quick Athlon 64 X2 processor), and it goes through the usual customer screens (enter your location, etc). It all goes smoothly except for the bluetooth mouse and keyboard (thats another story!).

Anyway, its all running smoothly, and I’m then asked if I can get the epson 3490 scanner working (he wants it setup, as it it has a backlight for scanning negatives).

The Epson software installs without a hitch, but when I try to run it, it says something like: escndv.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close.

I download the latest software from the epson website, but I get the same thing.

OK, I uninstall the software, and then remove any leftover files/folders, and also scan the registry, removing any epson scanner entries. I then install the latest software and: same problem…..

I take it back to the office, and it works just fine on my old P4 1.8Ghz system (after I realise there is a lock switch under the scanner (doh!)).

I take it back, and it still doesn’t work.

The customer previously rang dell support (to get scanning working on his dell multifunction printer/scanner), but they were also confused and couldn’t help (except to use microsoft paint to scan via the twain interface).

I thought it was a good idea, so I also tried MS paint and managed to get a scan from the 3490…. interesting, but the twain interface doesn’t allow for switching on the negative backlight.

I try the customers laptop, and it also works perfectly… at least he now has a way of scanning his negatives.

It suddenly dawned on me that this might be because his dell system uses an AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor.

It just might be a coincidence, as I’ve never seen an AMD/Intel compatibility problem before.

I wonder if AMD / Dell / Epson know about this problem?